Popular brand Dagne Dover launches its very first luggage collection featuring six new items

Dagne Dover aims to make a significant impact in the travel industry with its inaugural luggage line.

Featuring six unique pieces, the New York-based company, founded by three women in 2013, strives to cater to everyone. With two checked bags, two carry-ons, and two garment bags, Dagne Dover is diving headfirst into the luggage market.

The brand has gained recognition primarily for its neoprene backpacks and duffels, which include numerous organizational pockets for essentials and tech gear. (The new luggage collection is inspired by this legacy.)

DAGNE DOVER

However, luggage presents its own unique challenges, and the co-founders of Dagne Dover are well aware of this. Jessy Dover, co-founder and chief creative director, shared in an exclusive interview with TPG that the luggage line was born out of a struggle to find the ideal bag currently available.

Dover, who started traveling more frequently as the COVID-19 pandemic eased, found it difficult to locate a functional bag that met her needs.

"During that time, I realized that luggage could be a great fit for us, and I believe we could improve upon what's out there," she explained.

Now, three years after that initial discussion, the brand is poised for its major launch at airports. As the design team developed the pieces, they focused on four core principles: durability, flexibility, design, and sustainability.

Regarding durability, the entire luggage line underwent three years of rigorous wear testing, both in the factory and in real-world conditions, according to Dover.

"Every time someone tested the wear, you should see the footage we have from various testers, whether they're part of the internal Dagne team or external users. They provided feedback like, 'this worked for me,' or 'this part came off,'" shared Deepa Gandhi, co-founder and chief operating officer.

This feedback gives the founders great confidence that the bags will endure any journey, from the cobblestone streets of Europe to safaris in Africa and beyond.

DAGNE DOVER

The brand plans to reinforce its commitment with a limited lifetime warranty.

"We're enhancing our warranty to include luggage, which will feature a limited lifetime warranty on the product," co-founder and CEO Melissa Mash told TPG, although she didn't provide further details.

Regarding flexibility, a standout feature of the bags is their ability to open from both the top and the side. "This allows you to be extremely organized if you wish, but you can also just toss your items in and go if that's your style," Dover explained.

The bags are equipped with the brand's signature organizational pockets, enabling you to stash all your last-minute essentials and cords without needing to open the entire bag.

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Personally, I prefer to travel exclusively with carry-ons, but I depend on the expandable feature of my Tumi Alpha Continental bag to handle even the longest trips.

Unfortunately, Dagne Dover is limiting the expandable feature to its full-size checked bags. However, the co-founders remain open to feedback and emphasized that they approach this journey with an open mind.

While opinions on the design of the new Dagne Dover bags may vary, they undeniably reflect the brand's identity. From the neoprene exterior to the four available colors, these bags will unmistakably be recognized as Dagne Dover.

Sustainability is another area where the brand is determined not to make compromises.

"The outer material is recycled," Dover noted, "and the linings are crafted from reprieve poly, which is made from recycled ocean plastic. ... This is truly impressive," she added.

One of the biggest hurdles the brand will encounter with its luggage line is persuading travelers to invest in them. After all, carry-on bags begin at $595, while checked bags start at $675.

DAGNE DOVER

Those prices are quite high, even for loyal customers accustomed to items in the $200 range.

Discussing the shift to a premium market, Mash explained, "The pricing strategy was certainly a topic of discussion, but quality was our top priority. When considering our customer base and core audience, we asked ourselves what they seek in their luggage. It was exactly what we wanted: something durable, high-quality, with a stylish design and a focus on sustainability."

To ease the financial impact, the brand is offering a 20% discount on its new luggage for those who purchase it along with an item from the Travel 1.0 collection.

That said, Dagne Dover has a significant challenge ahead. Can it persuade travelers to invest in its products? While they're not as pricey as Tumi or Rimowa, they do exceed the costs of Away or Samsonite.

However, the founders remain confident and untroubled.

As Dover expressed, "If we can create such incredible products in athleisure and work bags, why not apply that same innovation to luggage and see where it leads us?"

You can find all the details about the new Dagne Dover luggage collection below.